Miscommunication Among the Ranks
by Mitsuki Horenake
Summary: "America, you bloody git! How in the world did you mix up holly for mistletoe? And why in the world is it strewn up all over your living room?"


**The holidays are fast approaching, and I believe that I should grant everyone a Christmas gift of GERITA!**

**~/=+=/~**

"Ve~~~Germany, Germany!"

The blond man turned around and saw his friend Italy charge toward him, swinging his arms around until they got a firm grasp on the German's arm. He tried his best to shoo him away, but the Italian took hold, almost as if he had been glued onto his arm. If trained properly, he could do a great arm flip…

"What is it now?" He sighed.

"You got the same invitation that I did!" He chirped.

"Invitation? For what?"

"For America's Christmas party! It's going to be for the whole weekend, Christmas Eve and Christmas!" Italy answered, holding onto his arm. "Ve~~~that means that I can be with Germany this Christmas."

Germany didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to feel _**very**_ awkward at this point. If it hadn't been for the fact that Italy was holding his arm and actually succeeding in holding him down, it would be because he was cradling his arm and rubbing his face on it. His whole face started to turn red.

"Italy…you're always with me for Christmas. I don't think there's a Christmas until now that you haven't crashed my place."

"Ve~~~but everyone else is going to be there this time! And I want to be with you again this Christmas~"

To tell the truth, he didn't want to have Christmas this year. There were too many things that he had to attend to, and a nation never has a holiday when it comes to his health. There were plans to work on, treaties to negotiate, not to mention the financial crisis that he has to work on-

Italy let go of his arm and started hugging his waist, and his mind instantly cleared. Germany held his head and tried his best to hide the dark blush that had crept upon his face. _Damn that Italy for making me lose my train of thought._

"Pleeeaase?"

"…very well…let me pack my bags."

"Yaaaaay~" Italy chirped. "Let me help!"

"He- Italy, did you even pack your bags? We're not sharing them this time…not after you got me in trouble at the airport…"

"No, of course not! They're over there; I was just waiting for you~"

"_**WHAT THE HELL?"**_

**~/=+=/~**

"Heeey, guys! So great of you to come!"

"Nice to know you waited for us, git."

England mumbled as Sealand ran into the house with Wy and his brothers started asking where the drinks were. England volunteered to show them where it was _(making a perfect opportunity for Scotland to state something about how England knew his house so damn well…which made England blush)_ as America started showing everyone where the kitchen was. The door slowly opened up as America looked to see who the guests were.

"Eeeeey, Germany! Italy! How you guys handling yourself?"

"We just came here from the traffic…" Germany sighed. _"The endless, endless traffic…"_

"Well, you two can relax in the living room. I have to handle England's brothers."

"Handle? Hah! You're saying that like you hate us."

"No I don't, Ireland! England just likes to use those phrases around me."

A huge argument started up as the two of them decided that they might as well head into the living room and wait. Italy sank into the sofa as Germany joined him, watching the Italian help himself to the Christmas cookies on the table in front of him. They were extremely colorful and somewhat turned him off.

"Ve~~~you don't want a cookie, Germany?"

"Um…n-no thank you."

"But they taste really good, Germany. They're not poisonous. Here, have one~"

"But-"

Too late. The cookie was already in his mouth. Fortunately, they were sugar cookies _(and they weren't that bad)_, and he had to admit that he enjoyed it quite a bit. Because of that _(and plus he wanted to be nice)_, he decided to get another cookie, a move that made Italy giggle. God, he was so cute when he laughed. He almost looked like a woman.

"You like it~"

"Um…it's not bad…"

"Ve~~~"

Germany watched as Italy started eating all of the cookies _(finally allowing him to not eat one)_ and chirped by the sugar in them. He was such a child eating all of the cookies, and no matter what he did Italy was going to eat all of them. It's strange how a nation that has seen through all of the wars in the world and had lost many of the people that he had trusted could still smile as openly as that, like he didn't have any emotional scars…or held too many of them.

He heard a small commotion echo from outside the hallway, and he turned his head to see that England and America were talking about something as they headed toward the living room that the both of them were in. After a few minutes, America laughed.

"Aw, come on dude! You have to see how I decorated the living room at least! I didn't use any of those decorating people either!"

"Well…I do admit that-"

He froze.

"Aw, come on England. You're not coming in?"

"_**Bloody hell**_ I'm not! You think you're so smug trying to sneak it in?"

"Eh? What are you talking about? The tree's the biggest one I can afford and instead of Christmas banners I placed up holly strings I made myself!"

"_**W-whaaaat?"**_

"Got a problem with that?"

"**That's not holly, bloody git! **_**It's bloody **__**MISTLETOE!**__**"**_

That's when Germany realized that he was in the living room. His eyes began to widen as he looked around and realized that the hanging banners above their heads was literally mistletoe _(how in the world America thought it was holly was beyond him)_…rows of them. America quickly stepped out of the room.

"We-he-heeell! Thanks for the save there, England! Crazy stuff could've happened!"

"What about Germany in there? He's forced with Italy under the mistletoe!"

"_**I KNOW, RIGHT? WHAT ABOUT ME?"**_

"Ve?"

"Aw, too bad then~! Mistletoe rules still apply; the two of you are going to have to kiss!"

"_**WHAT?"**_

"Kiss?" Italy looked up. "Why?"

"You serious, Italy? You don't know the mistletoe rules?" America laughed. "If two people stand underneath it, they have to kiss on the lips!"

"B-b-b-b-b-but…America…" Germany could not believe that his voice was cracking right now. "There isn't anyone else here…can't we just leave…?"

England looked like he wanted to help, but part of him was enjoying Germany begging to leave in that small little prison cell and instead backed up and watched him beg so much that he even started talking in German. Meanwhile, Italy looked rather confused.

"S-so…we just have to kiss on the lips?"

"Don't tell me that you're going to go _**through**_ with this?" Germany turned back to the Italian. "Don't you out of all people know what kissing people on the lips means?"

"…it means that they're in love with each other." He had the straightest confused face humanly possible.

"A-and…you're fine with the two of us kissing…_**knowing**_ what that means?"

"Y-you're not?" His face sank into confusion.

"I-Italy…we're…just friends." Germany blinked. "Aren't we?"

It was then that Italy became completely confused. He started at Germany straight in the eye, almost as if he was looking for something, and his eyes widened when he realized that what he was looking for wasn't there. The mask crumbled and his eyes started welling up, making the German _(and everyone else at this point)_ panic.

"_W-we're just…friends…?"_

"I-Italy?"

"_W-we know each other for…for so long…and you always seem to know…w-what I'm thinking…"_ Crap, he was crying. _"A-after what happened…back at that restaurant…I thought you knew…I thought you knew that I…"_

"W-wait a minute, you-"

"_I-It's all right…I should've known…by the way that y-you would react to my hugs and kisses…longing for endearment…"_ He was shaking. _"W-we're just…friends…"_

Italy had broken down into hard tears, leaving the German utterly confused at what was going on. Yes, he had small inklings of what he could call feelings for the Italian _(did the disastrous date they had tell him __ANYTHING?__)_, but by how he had reacted he thought that Italy wasn't in the same area as he was. That's why he had resisted the adoration kisses of the Italian. That's why he had stiffened every time he came for a hug. The last thing he needed to do was to rely on what he wanted instead of what the situation demands of him.

That was the mind of Germany.

That was the mind of a soldier.

"…you…you love me…"

A few moments passed before Italy slowly nodded.

"And you didn't tell me because…?"

"_I-I thought you knew…Germany always seems to know everything…"_

He sighed, the shields he had placed in his mind to protect himself slowly melting away until nothing was hiding from him. Germany's hands slowly reached out and held the Italian's arms, making the latter squeak in shock and the ones at the archway looking onward in keen interest.

"Italy…you think too highly of me. I know what I know because I sought it out. I look for what might be different in what I'm observing. For you…I didn't know there was a difference."

"V-ve?"

"You're always so happy…you always give me hugs and kisses…all the time…" Germany shook his head. "How was I supposed to know that there was a difference?"

"…_um…"_

"Italy…I may be a nation, but I'm not all-knowing." He looked at him straight in the eyes. "Don't assume that I know everything. Misunderstandings happen when you make that assumption, all right?"

"_All right…"_

"Then…tell me what you want to tell me."

"…_t-ti amo…Germany…"_ The blush on his face made him utterly adorable. _"…kiss me…?"_

All the nerves in his body pushed him forward and his lips lightly grazed the other's, feeling the anticipation in the Italian's blood. It was enough teasing. He finally closed the gap, hearing the Italian chirp in happiness and lightly hug him back, sinking deep into the feeling of the larger man holding his waist. They lightly parted, and Germany saw the lights slowly return to Italy's eyes.

"_Germany…"_

"_Italy…"_

"…_I'm so happy…this is the best Christmas I ever had in my life…"_

"_I'm glad you think that."_

"_V-ve…"_

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"…_.uuuu poooottt__**aaaaaattttooooo **__**BAAAASSSSTTTTAAAAARRRRDDDDDD!**__**"**_

"Eh?"

***POW!***

**~/=+=/~**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS~!**


End file.
